Part public service announcement and reminder for the holiday shopping season, The Consumerist reminds us that with expensive, high-demand electronics like consoles, tablets, and phones, it's important to open them up and test them to make sure they work before you wrap them up and put them under the tree. Here's why.

While no one wants to think they're the type of person who might open up a new PS4 and find a box of bricks instead of a console, or an iPad that's actually a mirror instead of a tablet, it happens to people all the time. Beyond that, it's worth checking to make sure all of the accessories are there and the device is in good working order before putting it under the tree or gift wrapping it. You don't want to unbox and set up a new console only to find it's DOA and you'll have to spend the day after your happy unwrapping in line at a department store trying to exchange it for a new or working model.

Beyond the fact that you want to get your money's worth and avoiding the hassle of returns and exchanges (especially at the last minute or right after the holidays), there's a bigger problem that can be easily avoided with a little testing: The sad, disappointed look on your friend's, child's, or spouse's face when they fire up their brand new gift only to find it's broken. Don't let it happen, people.